Raphael Meldola
Encyclopedia
Raphael Meldola FRS (July 19, 1849 – November 16, 1915) was a British
chemist
and entomologist. He was Professor of Organic Chemistry in the University of London
, 1912–5.
(1754–1828), a theologian who was acting minister of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews
in London, 1804. Meldola was the only son of Samuel Meldola; married (1886) Ella Frederica, daughter of Dr Maurice Davis MD of London. He was educated in chemistry at the Royal College of Chemistry
, London. There is a portrait of Meldola (oil on canvas) by Solomon J. Solomon in the Royal Society collection; also a photograph by Maull & Fox, visiting card size.
(FRS 1848). He was appointed Lecturer, Royal College of Science
(1872) and assisted Norman Lockyer with spectroscopy. Meldola was in charge of the British Eclipse Expedition to the Nicobar Islands
(1875) and was Professor of Chemistry, Technical College, Finsbury (1885). He was also an entomologist and natural historian.
Meldola was a member of many scientific societies: Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society
; Fellow of the Institute of Chemistry
; Fellow of the Chemical Society
(London and Berlin); Member of the Pharmaceutical Society
; The Geologists Association; The Royal Anthropological Institute; Entomological Society of London.
He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 1886 (Charles Darwin
was one of his proposers), awarded the Davy Medal
in 1913, and was Vice-President of the Council from 1914-1915.
Meldola was President of the Entomological Society, 1895–1897; the Chemical Society
, 1905–1907; Society of Dyers and Colourists, 1907–1910; Society of Chemical Industry
1908-1909; Institute of Chemistry
, 1912-1915. He was the first president of the Maccabaeans
, 1891-1915. In his honour the Royal Society of Chemistry
award the Meldola medal
each year.
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
and entomologist. He was Professor of Organic Chemistry in the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
, 1912–5.
Life
Born in Islington, London, he was descended from Raphael MeldolaRaphael Meldola (Sephardic Rabbi)
Raphael Meldola, English Rabbi. Born in Leghorn 1754; died in London June 1, 1828.One of the most prominent members of the Meldola family. He received a thorough university training, both in theological and in secular branches, and displayed such remarkable talents that when only fifteen years old...
(1754–1828), a theologian who was acting minister of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews
Spanish and Portuguese Jews
Spanish and Portuguese Jews are a distinctive sub-group of Sephardim who have their main ethnic origins within the Jewish communities of the Iberian peninsula and who shaped communities mainly in Western Europe and the Americas from the late 16th century on...
in London, 1804. Meldola was the only son of Samuel Meldola; married (1886) Ella Frederica, daughter of Dr Maurice Davis MD of London. He was educated in chemistry at the Royal College of Chemistry
Royal College of Chemistry
The Royal College of Chemistry was a college originally based on Oxford Street in central London, England. It operated between 1845 and 1872....
, London. There is a portrait of Meldola (oil on canvas) by Solomon J. Solomon in the Royal Society collection; also a photograph by Maull & Fox, visiting card size.
Career
Meldola worked in the private laboratory of John StenhouseJohn Stenhouse
John Stenhouse FRS FRSE FIC FCS was a Scottish chemist. In 1854, he invented one of the first practical respirators.He was a co-founder of the Chemical Society in 1841.-Life:...
(FRS 1848). He was appointed Lecturer, Royal College of Science
Royal College of Science
The Royal College of Science was a higher education institution located in South Kensington; it was a constituent college of Imperial College London from 1907 until it was wholly absorbed by Imperial in 2002. Alumni include H. G. Wells and Brian May and are distinguishable by the letters ARCS ...
(1872) and assisted Norman Lockyer with spectroscopy. Meldola was in charge of the British Eclipse Expedition to the Nicobar Islands
Nicobar Islands
The Nicobar Islands are an archipelagic island chain in the eastern Indian Ocean...
(1875) and was Professor of Chemistry, Technical College, Finsbury (1885). He was also an entomologist and natural historian.
Meldola was a member of many scientific societies: Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society
Royal Astronomical Society
The Royal Astronomical Society is a learned society that began as the Astronomical Society of London in 1820 to support astronomical research . It became the Royal Astronomical Society in 1831 on receiving its Royal Charter from William IV...
; Fellow of the Institute of Chemistry
Royal Institute of Chemistry
The Royal Institute of Chemistry was a British scientific organisation.Founded in 1877 as the Institute of Chemistry of Great Britain, its role was to focus on qualifications and the professional status of chemists, and its aim was to ensure that consulting and analytical chemists were properly...
; Fellow of the Chemical Society
Chemical Society
The Chemical Society was formed in 1841 as a result of increased interest in scientific matters....
(London and Berlin); Member of the Pharmaceutical Society
Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain was formerly the statutory regulatory and professional body for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in England, Scotland and Wales...
; The Geologists Association; The Royal Anthropological Institute; Entomological Society of London.
He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 1886 (Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
was one of his proposers), awarded the Davy Medal
Davy Medal
The Davy Medal is awarded by the Royal Society of London "for an outstandingly important recent discovery in any branch of chemistry". Named after Humphry Davy, the medal is awarded with a gift of £1000. The medal was first awarded in 1877 to Robert Wilhelm Bunsen and Gustav Robert Kirchhoff "for...
in 1913, and was Vice-President of the Council from 1914-1915.
Meldola was President of the Entomological Society, 1895–1897; the Chemical Society
Chemical Society
The Chemical Society was formed in 1841 as a result of increased interest in scientific matters....
, 1905–1907; Society of Dyers and Colourists, 1907–1910; Society of Chemical Industry
Society of Chemical Industry
The Society of Chemical Industry is a learned society set up in 1881 "to further the application of chemistry and related sciences for the public benefit". Its purpose is "Promoting the commercial application of science for the benefit of society". Its first president was Henry Enfield Roscoe and...
1908-1909; Institute of Chemistry
Royal Institute of Chemistry
The Royal Institute of Chemistry was a British scientific organisation.Founded in 1877 as the Institute of Chemistry of Great Britain, its role was to focus on qualifications and the professional status of chemists, and its aim was to ensure that consulting and analytical chemists were properly...
, 1912-1915. He was the first president of the Maccabaeans
Maccabaeans
The Maccabaeans is an Anglo-Jewish charity. Started in 1891, it is a friendly society, established in 1894, and registered on the 8th of May, 1901, under the Friendly Societies' Act, as amended 1896...
, 1891-1915. In his honour the Royal Society of Chemistry
Royal Society of Chemistry
The Royal Society of Chemistry is a learned society in the United Kingdom with the goal of "advancing the chemical sciences." It was formed in 1980 from the merger of the Chemical Society, the Royal Institute of Chemistry, the Faraday Society and the Society for Analytical Chemistry with a new...
award the Meldola medal
Meldola medal
The Meldola Medal and Prize was awarded annually by the Royal Society of Chemistry to a British chemist who was under 32 years of age for promising original investigations in chemistry . It commemorates Raphael Meldola, President of the Maccabaeans and the Institute of Chemistry...
each year.